Engine-mounting for aeroplanes.



W. M. COOPER.

ENGINE MOUNTING FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1914.

1,142,147. Patented June 8,1915.

' 'r'r mul-zy wuucn M. scores, or BERKELEY, camromrm.

ENGINE-MOUNTING non Anomalies.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J due 8, 1915.

Application an April 2?, i914. Serial No. 834,613.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALLACE MCKAY Cooritli, a citizen of the United States,- residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Engine- Mountings for Aerop'lanes, of which the following is a specification. I v

's invention relates to flying machines andpertains especially to a means of mounting the engine (and the aviators seat also if desired) whereby the latter and the aviator are suspended pendulum fashion from the aeroplane frame; and, acting under certain natural laws and forces, aid in the more ready control and stability of the aeroplane, all as will be more fully described and illustrated hereinafter.

The invention consists of the parts and the combination and construction of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in whicl1- 1 igure 1 is a detail plan view; Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail section of the front bearing of the engine shaft and case bearing; F ig.- 4 is a detail section of the rear bearing of the engine shaft and case bearing; Fig. 5 is a detail rear elevation.

A is an aeroplane frame of appropriate design with the wings or planes 2; 3 the propeller fixed on the engine shaft 4; 5 the engine are 6 the drivers seat, or an atadded to the engine; a

7 are appropriate bearings (whose coinc1- dent axes are in the longitudinal or-fore and aft axis of the machinc) in whichengine 5 and seat 6 are free to swing pendulum like; the seat being swiveled at 8 on a crank arm 9 which is rigid or integral. with the engine case. The engine case has hollow pintles 10 turning free in the bearings 7; the engine or propeller shaft 4 in turn revolving in the hollow pintles 10. The engine and seat Gare thus free to rock in bearings 7 independent of the rotation of the engine shaft and propeller, or conversely the aeroplane frame and wings may tip sidewise about the engine shaft as an axis.

By adjusting the weight of the suspended engine (including any weight placed in or attached to seat 6) to the propeller torque, two claims are made for this type of engine support: 1.--The moment about the protachment bv which any weight may be peller shaft as an axis, "(which moment is the product of the resistance of the air on the propeller multipliedby its lever arm from said axis) will be accurately balanced and neutralized by a moment produced by the weight of the I engine and weight on seat 6, when these two weights act as later described, and the leyer arm of these weights about the axis of support. This will obviate the necessity of neutralizing the moment of the force acting on the propeller by any other means, mechani-. cal or otherwise. 2.-The planes and entire frame work of the aeroplane will be perfectly free to revolve about the axis of support of the engine, as an axis of rotation. The advantage claimed for this is that the planes, once out of a normal position, can be rapidly restored to position by warping or by any other well known or suitable means not necessary here to be shown, inasmuch as the forces which are brought into play for the purpose do not have to work against the inertia of the engine, or against the resistance of the air on the propeller. Quick action or rosponseto control is the result. In explanation: When the engine supplies power to the propeller, the air resistances to the propellers motion, lying in the plane of the propeller,-produce forces which are carried down to the engine. It is against these forces that the engine works. As a result of these forces, aside thrust is produced at the connecting rods which is communicated to the engine. It is this side thrust that sways the engine out of the vertical, thereby producing the moment referred to. The moment of this side thrust about the axis of support is equal to the moment of the engine about its axis. Further, in all cases where this type of engine support is used, the work which the propeller does on the air is equal to the work done by the engine or motive power supplying the power to the machine, less work lost through inefficiencies of the engines and transmission gearing. 1

When the power applied by the. engine, is constant, there is no motion of the engine or weight 6 about its axis; in other words, its inclination from the vertical does not change when the power supplied is constant.

In order to prevent any possibility of. the engine or weight 6 from revolving in the bearing due to'the torque of the engine and propeller, or from other causes I provide a hand brake mechanism indicated at 11, by

which the engine may be locked against pivotal movement and practically made ri id with the frame.

aving thus described my invention What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis tv '1. 11 engine mounting for aeroplanes consisting in the combination of the aeroplane frame, an engine, and means for suspending said engine so that the plane is free to rock sidewise about the engine shaft as an axis and the engine is free'to swing from the vertical outward to that position at which its moment about the axis neutralizes the torque of the propeller.

2. An engine mounting for aeroplanes consisting in the combination of the aeroplane frame, an engine, means for suspending said engine so that the plane is free to rock sidewise about the engine shaft as an axis and the engine weight adjusted to the torque of the propeller, and means for lockmg the engine against rocking movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses WALLACE M. COOPER.

Witnesses: 1. I

. V FRANK D. HALBERT,

NORMAN E. Frame. 

